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Local lawmakers support Senate legislation

By J.D. Prose jprose@calkins.Com 3 min read
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Stefano

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Camera Bartolotta

Southwest Pennsylvania’s state Senate delegation voted for a nearly $31 billion budget and pension reform Monday, but the bills face uncertain futures in the House.

A $30.8 billion spending bill that would break the months-long budget stalemate between Republicans, who control the Senate and House, and Gov. Tom Wolf passed 43-7 while a pension reform bill that implements a 401(k)-style plan and reduces benefits for current employees was approved 38-12.

State Sens. Elder Vogel Jr., R-New Sewickley Township, Beaver County; Pat Stefano, R-Bullskin Township; Camera Bartolotta, R-Carroll Township, Washington County; and Guy Reschenthaler, R-Jefferson Hills, Allegheny County, voted for both bills.

Legislators were not exactly enthusiastic about the budget plan, which includes tax increases yet to be specified, some spending increases and $350 million more in education funding, but agreed that it was a decent compromise for both sides. “They always say if not everybody is happy you’ve got a good bill,” Vogel said. “I guess that’s where we are.”

“I’m not a great fan of some of that (increased spending), but I understand that what has to be, has to be,” said Stefano.

Bartolotta said she could accept the increase in education spending because it was coupled with pension reform. “I’m OK with that,” she said, “You’ve got to give to get.”

Details on tax increases and liquor reform are still being hammered out in the Senate.

“The hard part is coming next,” Stefano said, “how to pay for it.”

Vogel called the pension reform bill “a good piece of legislation” while Stefano said changing the existing system is “critical” to the state. Bartolotta said

Bartolotta said pension reform and education funding go hand-in-hand because pension reform will ease pressure on school districts facing skyrocketing obligations. She also she did not want to leave Harrisburg without reforming the state’s liquor system, too.

“Enough is enough already,” Bartolotta said. “We’ve literally been sitting on the bench on these issues for decades.”

Bartolotta said she was pleased that the bill included money to address the state’s heroin epidemic that is hitting southwest Pennsylvania especially hard.

As far as what might happen next, it was anybody’s guess on Monday as House Republicans seemed intent on pursuing their own proposals. We’re going to keep going through our stuff,” Vogel said.

Bartolotta said that after nearly six months without a budget, the House can not “just dig in their heels” and refuse to consider legislation that Senate Republicans and Wolf have agreed on. “If you’re not going to be part of the solution, you’re going to be part of the problem,” she said.

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